Welcome to the April 2010 Green InSight eNewsletter!

Jon Dougal Editor, Green InSight

"It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong."
Dr. Thomas Sowell

This insightful and progressive newsletter is concerned with energy issues as well as a sustainable future. The information is brought to you in living color, free of animal testing, on widescreen digital HD format, and sparing paper use, saving fragile water systems, with our long shelf-life phthalate free plastics, using greedy little electrons to deliver the latest from the far corners of the alternative and renewable energy empire to foster sustainable development. We exalt your feedback and contributions of your latest experiences and reactions to our content. Consider reading this your attitude adjustment hour. Sustainability is not just our mission, it is our passion.

Trash

What Do We Really Throw Away

By: Jim Oberst
Date: April, 19, 2010

How often have you seen images like the one up above? How often have you looked at that action and thought of what it means? What that person is? How he ended up in that state? Been aware of what you tell yourself about him?

Well the first thing you should see in that image as an environmentalist is a homeless person recycling and using those recycled materials to survive. Of the roughly 3 million homeless in the United States this action is a primary income source. Depending on the availability of recycling centers and legal restriction on curbside recycling a single homeless person can recycle up to 50 pounds of trash in a given day. This population is a hero to the environmental movement as well as those that are at the lower end of the economic ladder that take to recycling as a base economic tool to survive.

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Rape, Pillage and … Philanthropy: How Siloed CSR Misses the Point

By: Cindy Mehallow
Posted: March 24, 2010
Source: triplepundit (www.triplepundit.com)

Ednote: The U.S. Congress’ recent reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision to make corporations a human (with rights as a human) underscores what CSR stands for. As society allows ethical lapses some corporations can capitalize on the void left between good and evil organizations. But what has happened to CSR? Some companies (see article on B Corporations) see a marketing opportunity.

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Sustainability Inc.: The Rise of the B Corp

By: Charlotte Jensen
Posted: March 22, 2010
Source: AOL Small Susiness (www.smallbusiness.aol.com)

Ednote: Many companies are taking Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) seriously. Closely related to the theory of triple bottom line corporate strategy, CSR is viewed by more corporations as bringing wider demographics to their customer base.

CSR translates into better themes for advertising, including more potential consumers, and lifting the corporate brand image – all positive benefits. This identification allows companies to participate in brand loyalty increases from consumer awareness of products that might not easily be seen as “green” or “enviro-friendly”. Services, law firms or financial products, typically have a hard time gaining eco-friendly awareness in the eyes of consumers.

Many law firms are embracing corporate social responsibility programs as a way to gain a competitive edge over other firms, but the key to creating successful CSR programs is to establish stakeholder value across the board, writes Elizabeth Wall of Marketing the Law Firm Newsletter.

Wall says CSR programs are valuable because they retain top talent, increases profits and gives firms an intangible asset - good reputation.

A law influenced by B Corp being drafted in California could pave the way for a new form of corporation that takes stakeholders – environment, employees and community – into account, not just shareholders. The City of Philadelphia passed a bill that creates a Sustainable Business Tax Credit for certified sustainable businesses located in the city. For tax years 2012 through 2017, 25 eligible businesses shall receive a tax credit of $4,000 to be used against the gross receipts portion of the Business Privilege Tax. Companies can be classified as certified sustainable businesses once they are certified as B Corporations.

Thus the B-Corporation philosophy is growing.

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City of Greensburg LED Streetlight Installation

Source: GREENSBURG GreenTown (greensburg.buildinggreen.com)

Ednote: We have been proselytizing the installation of LED street lights in many editions of Green InSight newsletter. There is a reason we think using streetlights as a mechanism for energy conservation, but the proof is in the results. Collected data from performance is crucial to change. Greensburg did it.

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Nails In The Cap And Trade Coffin

By: Nick Hodge
Date: April 13, 2010
Source: Green Chip Stocks (www.greenchipstocks.com)

Ednote: Like healthcare pricing, carbon pricing is very controversial. We could argue either side. This article provides great reasoning for carbon tax, but how? What mechanism will work before it is too late?

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Sustainable Packaging: Are Americans Willing To Pay More for "Green"?

Mintel research shows consumers continue to buy natural, despite difficult economy.

Date: March 25, 2010
Source: Packaging Digest

Ednote: Over the past 15 years many surveys have been done to assess what and how much consumers were willing to pay for green or enviro-friendly products. In 1992 86% of consumers would pay 5-10% more for green products if they knew what they were- statistics showed. It seems that Americans are less concerned than other world populations because of our involvements with current issues, politics being most important and the polarization stemming from it. War, economics and J-o-b-s are our main focus. The environment is very low on American’s radar screens.

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Sustainable Agriculture Methods Highlighted by New USDA Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Site

By: Christopher Krull
Date: April 09, 2010
Source: WebWire (www.webwire.com)

Ednote: Hopefully your familiar with your local farmers market. Usually hosted by cities on some special day of the week, these gatherings bring everything from fresh (unprocessed) food to packaged (processed) foods, artwork, handcrafts, flowers, plants, and even local musicians.

If you’re not aware yet- our food supply is not safe. You really don’t know what you’re eating. The USDA doesn’t have enough inspectors to truly police growers, harvesters, processors, slaughterhouses, and food storage facilities. If you have cockroaches in your house there is a good possibility they came in your grocery bags, in short the whole industry is under policed. Slow food, sustainable agriculture methods and local farmers offer an alternative to safer food supplies. Support your farmers market.

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Where Organic Ends and Natural Begins

Source: Hartman Group (www.hartman-group.com)

Ednote: Connected to farmers markets, slow food, healthy lifestyles and chemicals in our water and food is the term “organic.” What does it truly mean? Literally anything with carbon and hydrogen in chemistry is organic. But where we live and breath, it has a connotation of………Purity?

Organic is like art (in the eyes of the beholder) many people define it differently and expect a calibrated delivery system for it. “Got Milk” what hormones are in the milk you children drink. Did your chicken breast grow so plump because of antibiotics and hormones fed to the chicks from the time they were little eggs?

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Interested in sponsoring our next eNewsletter issue? Contact Jon Dougal at (415) 798-1933 or editor@greenmotion.org.